Antisplitting device



June 26, 1951- R. E. BEEGLE `2,558,231 ANTISPLTTING DEVICE Filed March 5, 1947 INVENTOR RAYMOND E. BEEGLE ATTOR NEY Patented june 26, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE ANTISPLITTING DEVICE Raymond E. Beegle, East St. Louis, Ill. Application March`5, 1947, Serial No. 732,434

Claims. l

This invention relates to improvements in antisplitting devices, and more particularly to a timber anchor especially adapted to be embedded, as by driving, in the end face portion of railroad cross ties, and which is especially formed and its parts so proportioned as to meet, in improved manner, the requirements of definition of such devices, promulgated by the American Railway Engineering Association.

So-called tie anchors, timber anchors, antisplitting devices or irons as they are sometimes known, have been for a number of years past,

Widely sold in a variety of forms. forms are those Among such disclosed in several Letters Patent to this applicant, one being No. 1,737,908, is-

sued December 3, 1929, and entitled Timber Anchor. While the devices therein disclosed approach closely the defined requirements of the A. R. E. A., the subject of the present disclosure will even more fully realize such requirements, and provide for many purposes an improved degree of holding power when utilized in and with railroad cross ties. This desideraturn is, accordingly, a prime objective of the present improvements.

A still further object of importance is realized in a timber anchor of wide versatility, by reason of the curved nature of its components, in adaptability to diiierent adverse timber situations normally encountered and to be corrected or guarded by application of the device.

Yet a further object, and in some respects one` of prime importance in the present development, is the provision of a distinct wide-face anchoring element at each end of the anchor, together with a novel and effective intermediate anchorage provided when the device is driven or otherwise embedded in the timber.

A further major objective of the present improvements is attained in an anti-splitting iron which, preferably with minor modications, may be used in pairs, and in relatively inverted relation, with improved results in joining the quarters of a tie, and with full advantages accompanied by none of the usual disadvantages of timber anchors of continuous band type.

A still further and important object of the present improvements is realized in a reversible anchor, namely, one which can be relatively inverted to attain an opposite result, and one which is provided with terminals adapted for interiitting and intertted relation with the terminals of similar anchors, and which, in distinction from earlier devices, may be so disposed in the end section of a tie or other timber, asl to provide a vdistinct anchorage provision in each of the quarters of such tie, and at the same time, whether utilized singly or in interlocked pairs, is adapted particularly for the correction of and resistance to so-called season checking, spike splitting, wind shakes and other irregularities frequently encountered in normal timber structure.

The foregoing` and numerous other objects will appear from the following detailed description of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, particularly when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is an elevation in perspective, of a preferred form of anti-splitting device, anchor or iron, when utilized singly;

Fig, 2 is a transverse section as taken along line 2-2 of Fig. l, in order to show the sectional nature of the strip stock from Which the iron is or may be formed;

Fig. 3 is an elevation, being an end view of a rail tie to which the anchor of Fig. 1 is applied;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing preferred structure and locations of a pair of interlocked or interiitted devices, one of which is of slightly modified form, and

Fig. 5 is a view, taken Similarly to Figs. 3 and 4, but iliustrating a further modification in the terminal structure of a, pair of the anchors, when employed in intertted relation and embedded in the wood.

Referring now to the drawing, it may rst briefly be noted that anti-splitting devices intended for the same field of usagey as that of the present disclosure, are prevalently sold to the extent of millions of units per annum, particularly for application to and in hardwood cross ties, and more particularly when such ties are intended for or have been subjected to liquid treatment for their preservation. Unless cross ties are ironed, liquid treatment thereof sometimes enhances the tendency to splitting. To whatever extent this may be true, the devices of the present order are of value throughout the life of the tie, and particularly after the tie is placed in service. The protracted effects of weathering and the track load, penetration of ground water, etc. all tend to result in cleavage and splitting effects along well developed and well understood lines. Having in mind these various factors, the A. R. E. A., through its Tie committee, in its recommonded practice on anti-splittinfT devices states (clause 3) that they should be -so placed 'as to cross at right angles the greatest possi-ble .'spokes of a wheel reasons for particular elements, and features of design of the irons selected for present disclosure.

To describe the structure, referring first to Fig. l, the iron'or anchor is or may be formed of a suitable steel strip, rolled to desired form and so supplied by the steel manufacturer. The strip is cut to predetermined lengths and die-formed to one of the shapes to be described. As a preference for ease in driving, although not a matter of strict necessity, a bevelled stock is employed, some two-thirds or three-fourths of the width of which is of even gauge or thickness, say for example, l2 or 14 gauge, the remainder along one margin being rolled down to a relatively sharpened edge portion. A typical section of such stock is indicated by Fig. 2, wherein I' indicates that portion of normal gauge and il, the relatively tapered or reduced driving edge.

The anchor as shown, includes a relatively short body portion I2 which is or may be uniformly curved. The iron as a whole in the form of Figs. l and 3, is or may be substantially symmetrically formed about a vertical median centrally through the body portion I2. Connected to each end of the body portion is a relatively widely curved anchor face, the faces being indicated at I3 and I4, and shown as presented toward each other and hence oppositely arranged in the anchor. Between the extremities of the body portion and the Zones indicated at X, each of the anchor faces is or may be substantially uniformly curved, but each formed on a substantially greater radius or radii than that of the body portion I2. Beyond or outwardly of the portions X, this wide curvature may continue on an `even greater radius such that, for a short distance toward the ends of the faces or arms, they become virtually rectilinear until merging in hook-like terminal portions I and I6. Each of the terminal portions is shown as substantially half circular in form and angular extent, but each is formed on a radius very considerably smaller than any of the radii on which the other portions, heretofore described, is formed.

It will now have appeared that the anchor faces I3, I4 kprovide major abutments serving to resist any splitting tendency of the timber ernbraced therebetween. Any tendency toward displacement of the anchor in the wood, along the strip of which it is formed, is provided against primarily by the keying effects of the primary terminals I5 and I6.

Certain older forms of timber anchors, including those disclosed in applicants Patent No. 1,737,9US, have provided distinct provisions for end anchorage; none has however provided f or intermediate anchorage of a delined sort, other than is incidentally attained in small degree by the friction of the wood fibers upon the metal strip.

Intermediate anchorage provisions of the present structure are attained through recess provisions in the zones of juncture between the ends of body portion I2 and adjacent end of faces I3 and III. These V-shape reentrants serve to receive the adjacent fibers therein, and serve to interlock this portion of Vthe wood with the center portion or body of the iron, thus providing required and desirable anchorage 'in a zone remote from and lbetween the locations of the terminals I5 and I6.

The pattern of radial lines extending 'like the outwardly from the heart of a tie CT are exemplified in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, these being the lines desirably .tobe crossedV at as .near

possible, according to the requirements of the A. R. E. A., definition above quoted. It will now have appeared that this objective is most nearly attained through use of curvilinear major elements of the device. The anchor faces I3, I4 accordingly constitute major proportions of the total length of the iron, since they must extend farther from the heart of the tie in order to provide the requisite cross-plan or span of the iron. While the body portion I2 may if desired approximate a linear bridge, it is preferred as shown, that this iron be curved in order best to fulfill the requirements of the stated definition. After numerous experiments, it has been found that the objectives of keeping the parts of the iron as nearly as possible directly across the radial lines, and of providing the noted intermediate anchorage, are ideally attained by the structure described.

In order to realize the several advantages noted in a composite iron, two such units, varying only in their terminal locations, may be employed in intertted relation as shown by Fig. 4, and so will fully realize all of the advantages of a continuous band type of iron, without its shortcomings. The uppermost of the companion devices of Fig. 4 is ormay be identical with that shown by Fig. l. lIhe lowermost of the paired irons is characterized by a pair of anchor faces 20 and 2l, together with a body portion 22 and terminals 23 and 24. Terminals Z3 and 24 are, however, directed outwardly of the faces 20 and 2I and so, merely by slight endwise pressure on the faces of the lower iron prior to driving, may be brought into intertting relation to the terminals I5 and I6.

In Fig. 5 a still further possibility of modication is illustrated, showing a pair of irons each of which is characterized by one inturned and one outturned primary terminal. Each of the irons here illustrated includes a body portion 25, a pair of anchor faces 26 and 21, an inturned terminal 28 and an outturned terminal 30, each of the outturned terminals serving to receive a companion inwardly directed end key structure.

It should be noted that the gauge of metal strip of which the irons are formed is such that, with the aid of a driving sledge, it may be particularly formed to meet the exigencies sometimes encountered due to unusual splits, irregularity of radial lines, wind shakes, spike splits, etc. and that the terminals may be bent, within limits, for particular interlocking relations.

In the drawing, the overall length and width of the irons is proportioned, as in actual practice, to span the desired area of cross ties of typical dimensions, for example, a cross tie of 6 x 8", or of 7 x 9" section.

It should for full understanding of present improvements, be pointed out that the proportion of the present anchors enables them to be 4located most favorably across the vertical radial lines through the average or center-pith tie. These are distinct zones of weakness, in that they lie along the shortest lines between opposite tie surfaces, and are, most critically, the zones of least resistance to splitting stresses. This is true whether the tie be seasoning prior to use, or is in service. The U. S. Forest Products Laboratories has determined that, in red oak for example, the rate of cross-radial shrinkage (hence splitting tendency) is double the rate of usual shrinkage along the radial lines. This a right angle as vhigh rate of :cross-radial shrinkage, with attendant splitting tendencies, is particularly guarded against by the anchor faces and body portion of the present design.

The formation of the terminal hooks on short radii is particularly preferred as markedly resisting straightening tendencies resulting from stresses developed by sun and wind during seasoning.

Although the invention has been described by making detailed reference to but a limited number of possible embodiments of the present improvements, the detail of description is to be understood solely in an instructive and not in a limiting sense, inasmuch as many variants are possible within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an anti-splitting device or anchor adapted to be driven in the end section of a railroad cross tie or like timber element, a relatively wide U- shaped member formed of a strip of metal, a pair of anchor faces constituting end arms on the strip, and being widely curved so as to present outwardly convex faces at the ends and substantially over the intermediate portions of the anchor, a short central body portion of outwardly convex aspect bridging the anchor faces and each connected thereto in a zone characterized by a substantially sharp break, each such zone thus providing a recess adapted for interlocking engagement between the anchor and adjacent portions of the timber receiving the anchor, whereby to provide a plurality of defined anchorage zones in intermediate portions of the device, the said curved portions of the device all presenting concave surfaces interiorly of the iron, whereby more effectively to embrace the timber therein, when in use, and terminals of hook form carried at the outer ends of the anchor faces.

2. A timber anchor adapted for use in resisting splitting stresses in the end sections of railroad cross ties, the anchor being formed of a strip of metal of a deeply bowed edge aspect and having a relatively short central body portion of curvilinear form, presenting a convexly curved surface toward the outside of the anchor, and an angulate formation at each end of the body portion, widely curved anchor faces at the opposite ends of the anchor, and connected through the said angulate portions to the body, the central body and the anchor faces each being curved to present solely a series of convex exterior surfaces, and terminals formed on the free ends of the anchor faces, the body portion and terminals being curvilinearly formed on centers close to a line connecting the terminals.

3. A timber anchor adapted to be driven in the end section of a piece of timber such as a railroad cross tie, and formed of a strip of metal beveled along one edge and of a deeply dished form, the strip of metal including a central, sharply curved body portion formed on a center well within the area embraced by the anchor, and so as t`o be convexly presented toward the outside of the iron, a pair of widely curved exteriorly convex anchor faces each connected to the body portion through a relatively sharp V shape zone of intersection of the adjacent curves, and juncture therewith, and a hook-like terminal at the free end of each of said anchor faces;

cl. The combination and arrangement of elements as recited by claim 3, but further charf acterized in that the terminals are of substantially semi-circular form, and constitute relatively minor portions of the total length of metal forming the anchoring device.

5. An anti-splitting device of closed band type, formed of a pair of units adapted for use in relatively inverted relation, with a pair thereof in embedded relation in the end section of the unit of timber such as a railroad cross tie, each anchor unit consisting of a strip of metal beveled along one of its edges, the strip being of a generally bowed aspect formed to provide a pair of widely curved exteriorly convex anchor faces, presented toward or facing each other and forming the opposite ends of the anchor, an exteriorly convex body portion intermediate the anchor faces and joined to each face by a portion forming a sharp recess and resulting from the intersection of the curved body and curved face, the said sharply recessed portiom adapted for interlocking relation with the adjacent portions of the timber when driven into place, and a pair of hook-like terminals, one at the free end of each anchor face, the terminals being presented oppositely with one directed outwardly and one directed inwardly of the anchor, the paired anchor units being interlocked in the timber, with the inwardly directed terminal oi each anchor extended into the hook recess of the outwardly directed terminal of the companion anchor, whereby the paired anchors serve fully to enclose and constitute a band around a section of timber therein, which constitutes a major portion of the sectional area of the timber to which they are applied, the paired anchor unit thereby constituting a continuous-band type of anti-splitting device.

RAYMOND E. BEEGLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 714,602 Neuendorf Nov. 25, 1902 753,950 Wyland Mar. 8, 1904 961,325 Thomas June 14, 1910 1,722,459 Fisher July 30, 1929 1,737,903 Beegle Dec. 3, 1929 2,287,964 Beegle June 30, 1942 

